Constitution of the Peterborough- Kawartha New Democratic Party Electoral District Association

Transcription

1 Constitution of the Peterborough- Kawartha New Democratic Party Electoral District Association As adopted and approved at the Founding Meeting on February 1, 2015 Article 1: Preamble/Name 1.1. The name of the Association shall be the Peterborough- Kawartha New Democratic Party Federal Riding Association, hereinafter referred to as the Association The Association is established pursuant to the Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada. Article 2: Purpose 2.1. The purpose of the Association shall be: 2.2. To nominate the candidate of the New Democratic Party in each federal election and to conduct a campaign to elect the candidate; 2.3. To support and promote the principles and policies of the New Democratic Party of Canada through political education and organization; 2.4. To afford to its members a forum for participation in the development of party policy on federal issues and party governance; 2.5. To recruit new members to the New Democratic Party; and 2.6. To undertake the work of the party within the riding, including any responsibilities assigned to the Association by the party under federal election laws. Article 3: Membership 3.1. The membership of the Association shall consist of: All New Democratic Party members in good standing who reside in the riding, except those who have been accepted as members in another riding Association; and New Democratic Party members in good standing who reside in other federal ridings and who request membership in the Association and are accepted by the Executive of the Association; and only in conjunction with provincial membership rules. Article 4: Meetings 4.1. There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the Association in each calendar year, the business of which shall include: Annual reports of the President, the Financial Agent, and the Membership Organizer; and Election of the Association s Executive and its delegates to the Council of Federal Ridings, where one is established pursuant to the Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada Other General Meetings of the Association shall be called: as determined by the Executive, or for the purpose of electing the Association s delegates and alternate delegates to a federal convention of the New Democratic Party, upon the written request to the President signed by at least 50 members of the Association in good standing, or one quarter of the Association s members, whichever is lesser, and shall specify the business for which the meeting is requested. Upon receipt of the request for such meeting, the Executive shall be required to hold the meeting within forty- five days of the date of

2 the request. Notice for such a meeting must meet the regular requirements for a General Meeting under this constitution, and must include a description of the business to be transacted In accordance with the federal Constitution and the direction of Federal Council, a nomination meeting shall be held for the purpose of nominating the New Democratic Party candidate for Member of Parliament. Those eligible to cast ballots for the nomination shall be limited to New Democratic Party members in good standing who reside in the riding, as defined in the Rules Governing the Nomination Process of Candidates for the New Democratic Party of Canada Notice for all General Meetings shall be mailed to Association members not less than fourteen (14) days in advance of the meeting. Notice period requirements for nomination meetings shall be governed by the Rules Governing the Nomination Process of Candidates for the New Democratic Party of Canada. Electronic mail may be used to provide written notice to members of the Association who have agreed in writing to receive written notice in this format Quorum at a General Meeting shall be a number equal to 75% of the individuals elected to the existing Executive. Article 5: Executive 5.1 The Executive shall consist of the following: President; Vice- President, who shall serve as Interim President in the event of a vacancy in the presidency; Secretary; Financial Agent; Membership Organizer; Youth Representatives 2 Positions; One shall be female and one shall be male; Members holding the position of Youth Representative must be under the age of 26 at the time of their election; Women s Representative; Members holding the position of Women s Representative must be woman- identified; Persons Living with Disabilities Representative; Members holding the position of Persons Living with Disabilities Representative must self- identify as a person living with a visible or an invisible disability; Members- at- Large 2 Positions; When applicable, the sitting NDP Member of Parliament elected to represent the riding; At its first meeting after its election, the incoming Executive shall appoint a member of the Executive as a liaison to each of the Provincial Constituency Associations within or partially within its boundaries The Executive shall be comprised of no fewer women than men Members of the Executive must be members in good standing of the Association Other Executive positions may be created through the amendment of this constitution subject to the terms of Article 8 (below) or through the creation of by- laws adopted by the Association, according to the procedures set forth in Article 9 (below) Subject to these By- laws and the Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada, the Executive shall be the governing body of the Association between general meetings. Meetings of the Executive shall be open to members of the Association Those elected to positions on the Executive shall serve from the adjournment of the Annual General Meeting at which they were elected until the adjournment of the following Annual General Meeting. If the position of President is vacated, the Vice- President shall serve as interim

3 president until the next Executive meeting. If the position of Financial Agent is vacated, the President is empowered to appoint immediately a Financial Agent subject to ratification by the Executive at its next meeting and the Association at its next meeting. The Executive may appoint by simple majority vote people to fill unfilled or vacant Executive positions subject to ratification by the Association at its next meeting Members of the Executive who cannot attend a meeting of the Executive shall give notice to the President or the Secretary in advance if possible. A member of the Executive who fails to attend three meetings in their term without such notice shall be deemed to have resigned and shall be notified accordingly in writing. A report of Executive members meeting attendance will be presented at the following Annual General Meeting The Executive may appoint such committees, as may be necessary or desirable to carry out the functions of the Association. Each committee so appointed shall report regularly to the Executive and shall include at least one member of the Executive The Executive shall meet at least five (5) times during its term of office A quorum at Executive meetings shall be forty percent (40%) of the members of the Executive not including the NDP Member of Parliament when applicable Each member of the executive is entitled to one vote at executive meetings regardless of the number of positions held on the Executive. Article 6: Equity Policy 6.1. At least one half of the elected members of the Executive, convention delegates and delegates to the Council of Federal Ridings shall be women. The Executive shall ensure that members of Equity- Seeking Target Groups, as designated by Federal Council, are encouraged to seek executive positions At least one of the President or Vice- President shall be a woman. Article 7: Funds 7.1. The Association shall comply with all laws relevant to political financing laid out in Canada s Election Act and other Elections Canada documents The signing officer of the Association shall be the Financial Agent. No cheque or other instrument shall be issued without the signature of the Financial Agent When soliciting or receiving donations, the Association shall ensure that the donor specify that the donation is a federal donation The funds of the Association shall be kept in a clearly separate account in the name of the federal riding Association in a chartered financial institution The accounts of the Executive of the Association and of all persons authorized by the Association to receive or disburse money on its behalf may be subject to independent third party review as may be required by the Election Act or regulation of the Party or as requested by a resolution of the Executive or general meeting of the Association. The findings of any such review shall be reported to the subsequent general meeting. Article 8: Amendment 8.1. This Constitution may be amended at any General Meeting of the Association by a two- thirds majority of those present and voting, provided that the text of the proposed amendment has been circulated to the membership at least fourteen (14) days in advance of the meeting This Constitution and any amendments hereto must receive the approval of the Federal Executive to be of any force or effect.

4 Article 9: By- laws 9.1. By- laws consistent with this Constitution may be adopted or amended by majority vote at any General Meeting of the Association, provided the text of the proposed by- law or amendment has been circulated to the membership at least fourteen (14) days in advance of the meeting These By- laws and any amendments hereto must receive the approval of the Federal Executive to be of any force or effect. Article 10: Rules of Order The Association may adopt rules for the conduct of its business. Unless otherwise governed by this Constitution, duly adopted by- laws, or the Constitutions of the New Democratic Party of Canada and the Ontario New Democratic Party, the business of the Association shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order. Article 11: Interpretation and Appeals In the case of any conflict between this constitution and its by- laws and the Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada, the constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada shall prevail On a day- to- day basis, this Constitution and its by- laws shall be interpreted by the President of the Association, or by the Vice- President in the absence of the President. Decisions of the President or Vice- President may be appealed to the Executive of the Association. Decisions of the Executive may be appealed to the Association's membership at a General Meeting, whether or not the meeting was called for the specific purpose of hearing such an appeal At a meeting of the Association or its Executive, this Constitution and its by- laws shall be interpreted by the President of the Association or by the chairperson in the absence of the President. Any decision of the President or the chairperson may be overturned on appeal by a majority of those present and voting. Article 12: Convention Delegates 12.1 Delegates to a Federal Convention shall be elected in accordance with Article V of the Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada including any regulations duly enacted by the Federal Executive 12.2 The Association s delegates to a Federal Convention shall be elected at a general meeting Article 13: Nomination of Candidates 13.1 The nomination of candidates shall be in accordance with the Rules Governing the Nomination Process of Candidates for the New Democratic Party of Canada created by the Federal Council under Article XV of the Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada including any regulations duly enacted by the Federal Council. Article 14: Reference 14.1 This Constitution was adopted by a duly constituted general meeting on February 1, 2015 and were approved by the Federal Executive on [Month, Day, Year] 14.2 This Constitution was last amended by a duly constituted general meeting on February 1, 2015 and said amendments were approved by the Federal Executive on [Month, Day, Year]

5 By- laws of the Peterborough- Kawartha New Democratic Party Federal Electoral District Association By- Law 1: Duties of Executive Members 1.1. The duties of the President shall include: Providing leadership and enthusiasm for the Association; Presiding at general meetings of the Association, and presenting an annual report on behalf of the Executive; Convening and presiding at meetings of the Executive; Working with the Executive in establishing and meeting annual goals of the Association; Liaising with other local NDP association presidents to develop mutual goals, joint events, and improved public relations; and Liaising with the federal office in garnering support for the Association, including visits by MPs The duties of the Vice- President shall include: Providing leadership and enthusiasm for the Association; Supporting the President in their duties; and In the President s absence, convening and presiding at meetings of the Executive The duties of the Secretary shall include: Recording and distributing the minutes of meetings of the Association and the Executive; Receiving correspondence for the Association and bringing it to the attention of the Executive; Assisting the President to establish and circulate notice and agendas for meetings of the Executive; Providing notice of General Meetings to the membership Maintaining the Association's membership records in conjunction with the Membership Organizer; Ensuring that an accurate membership list is available for registration at General Meetings of the Association in conjunction with the Membership Organizer; and The maintenance and care of all files and records for the Association The duties of the Financial Agent shall include: Maintaining records of all expenditures and revenues of the Association; Filing financial reports to the Association s auditor and Elections Canada in accordance with the Canada Elections Act; Reporting regularly to the Executive concerning the state of the Association's finances; and Preparing an annual financial report for presentation at the Annual General Meeting The duties of the Membership Organizer shall include: Developing strategy for and organizing membership drives; Exchanging membership reports with the federal and provincial offices of the Party, according to agreements between the New Democratic Party of Canada and the Ontario New Democratic Party; Maintaining the Association's membership records in conjunction with the Secretary;

6 Ensuring that an accurate membership list is available for registration at General Meetings of the Association in conjunction with the Secretary; and Preparing an annual membership report for presentation at the Annual General Meeting The duties of the Youth Representatives shall include: Organizing on behalf of the Association among the youth of the riding; Representing the interests of youth to the Association, and providing leadership and enthusiasm regarding issues and policy that impact youth; Liaising between the Association and New Democratic Youth of Canada; and Establishing relationships between the Association and New Democratic Party campus clubs at Trent University and Fleming College, when such groups are in existence The duties of the Women s Representative shall include: Organizing on behalf of the Association among the women of the riding; Representing the interests of women to the Association, and providing leadership and enthusiasm regarding issues and policy that impact women; Representing the Association at all meetings of the Ontario New Democratic Party Women s Committee, and providing written reports of the activities of the Committee to the Association; and Representing the Association at the Peterborough Women s Events Committee, and encourage Association participation in women s events organized within the riding The duties of the Persons Living with Disabilities Representative shall include: Organizing on behalf of the Association among persons living with disabilities in the riding; Representing the interests of persons living with disabilities to the Association, and providing leadership and enthusiasm regarding issues and policy that impact persons living with disabilities; Representing the Association at all meetings of the Federal disability Rights Committee, and providing written reports of the activities of the Committee to the Association The duties of Members- at- Large shall include: Assisting with the activities of the Association In addition to the foregoing, all Executive members shall: Serve on committees of the Association; Assist other Executive members with the execution of their duties as required; Seek Executive approval for all new initiatives undertaken on behalf of the Association; Seek Executive approval for all expenditures made on behalf of the Association; and In the exercise of their office, submit regular written reports to the Executive. Coming into Force: As approved at the Founding Meeting on February 1, 2015 By- Law 2: Executive Committees Terms of Reference 2.1. Committee Structure The Executive shall maintain a committee structure, including the following standing committees, to undertake the work of the Association:

7 Governance; Finance & Fundraising; Membership Development; Election Planning; Communications The Executive shall strike other ad- hoc committees to undertake the work of the Association, as required Committee Chairs The Chair of each committee shall be appointed by the Executive from amongst its members at the first meeting of the Executive following the Annual General Meeting each year The duties of the Committee Chairs shall include: Convening and presiding and meetings of the committee; Establishing the meeting agendas and business of the committee; Coordinating and monitoring the work of committee members related to the business of the committee; and Making regular written reports to the Executive on the activities of the committee Committee Membership Each member of the Executive shall be required to join and assist with the work of at least one standing committee Committee Chairs are strongly encouraged to populate committees with Association members in good standing not on the Executive based on their interest, resources, and/or talents Governance Committee The duties of the Governance Committee shall include: The organization, preparation, and execution of an orientation session for new Executive members, to be held each year within forty- five (45) days of the election of a new Executive; An annual review of the Association s constitution and by- laws, and the recommendation of amendments to said documents to the membership of the Association at the Annual General Meeting, or a general meeting called for that purpose; In consultation with the President, the organization, preparation, and execution of the Annual General Meeting, including Executive elections, and other membership meetings, including the selection of convention delegates, as deemed necessary; Recruiting and coordinating the Association s delegations to New Democratic Party Conventions; and In consultation with the President, the organization, preparation, and execution of a strategic planning session and/or development of an annual work plan for the Executive The membership of the Governance Committee shall include: At least one of either the President or the Vice President; At least two other members of the Executive; and Any members of the Association in good standing who wish to serve on the Committee Finance and Fundraising Committee The duties of the Finance and Fundraising Committee shall include: The preparation and execution of an annual fundraising strategy, including a calendar of events and annual fundraising targets; The planning, preparation, and execution of all local fundraising events and initiatives;

8 In consultation with the Financial Agent, the preparation of an annual budget for adoption by the Executive to guide the Association s expenditures between elections; The provision of assistance and support to the Financial Agent as required; and The maintenance and management of the overall financial health of the Association The membership of the Finance and Fundraising Committee shall include: The Financial Agent; At least one of either the President or the Vice President; At least one other member of the Executive; and Any members of the Association in good standing who wish to serve on the Committee Membership Development Committee The duties of the Membership Development Committee shall include: Developing strategy for, and organizing and executing membership drives with the leadership of the Membership Organizer; Assisting the Secretary and the Membership Organizer with the maintenance of local membership records; The provision of assistance and support to the Membership Organizer as required; and The development of a volunteer database indicating the interests, availability, willingness, skills and resources of Association members to assist with Association activities and election campaigns The membership of the Membership Development Committee shall include: The Membership Organizer; The Secretary; At least one other member of the Executive; and Any members of the Association in good standing who wish to serve on the Committee Election Planning Committee The duties of the Election Planning Committee shall include: Working between elections to review and develop local election procedures and strategies, including consultations with equity seeking groups and marginalized populations to work to achieve greater accessibility in both the local campaign and the elections process; Preparing for upcoming elections, including the coordination of a candidate search process, as necessary and approved by the Executive; Recruiting election staff and volunteers; and In consultation with the Financial Agent, preparing an election campaign budget for Executive approval The membership of the Election Planning Committee shall include: At least one of either the President or the Vice President; At least one of the Youth Representatives; At least one other member of the Executive; The current candidate for the riding, having successfully won the nomination at the most recent Association general meeting called for that purpose; The campaign manager, having been appointed by the Executive; Any members of the Association in good standing who wish to serve on the Committee Communications Committee The duties of the Communications Committee shall include:

9 Working to disseminate information within the riding regarding the party platform and the candidate between elections, in conjunction with the Election Planning Committee Developing, coordinating, and executing the Association s media outreach strategy; Developing, maintain, utilizing, and updating the Association s outreach and communication tools, including, but not limited to, websites, telephone trees, online organizing platforms, social media, press releases, mailings, and newsletters; and Providing assistance and support regarding communications tools and media outreach to other committees as requested The membership of the Communication Committee shall include: At least one of either the President or the Vice President; At least one of the Youth Representatives; Where possible, the Executive member(s) serving as liaison(s) to each of the Provincial Constituency Associations within or partially within the riding boundaries; At least one other member of the Executive; Any members of the Association in good standing who wish to serve on the Committee. Coming into Force: As approved at the Founding Meeting on February 1, 2015 By- Law 3: Transaction of Business Between Executive Meetings 3.1. Should the Executive be required to take a decision or consider a question between regularly scheduled Executive meetings a motion may be proposed, debated, and voted upon using , subject to the following provisions: The motion must be submitted to the President by a member of the Executive indicating: The name of another member of the Executive willing to second the motion; The rationale for why the decision cannot wait until the next regular meeting of the Executive, but does not warrant the calling of an emergency Executive meeting; Any motivation that the mover wishes to have included with the motion Upon receipt of a request fulfilling the above criteria, the President shall circulate to the Executive: The text of the motion, indicating the mover and seconder, as well as the rationale and any motivation provided by the mover; Instructions regarding how members should reply to debate and to vote; The deadline by which votes must be received The President must receive votes equal to, or in excess of, the Executive s regular quorum requirement to validate the vote on the motion. If fewer votes are received, the motion will be considered to have failed Within twenty- four (24) hours of the deadline, the President or the Secretary shall circulate to the Executive the results of the vote, including the breakdown of votes in favour, against, and any abstentions At the duly constituted, regularly scheduled meeting of the Executive, the President shall present a report outlining the motion and the process of the vote for ratification by the Executive and recording of the decision into the minute record A decision made using that has adhered properly to this by- law may only be overturned by a two- thirds (2/3) majority vote at a duly constituted meeting of the Executive Funding or sponsorship requests initiated by an external organization may not be considered by , and must be considered at a duly constituted meeting of the Executive.

10 Coming into Force: As approved at the Founding Meeting on February 1, 2015